Project XJ = Steering
Well, as you can see in the latest issue of The Voice (Oct ‘07), a lot has been done on the XJ in a short amount of time. The steering needed serious attention if it was to be both strong and reliable, so upgrades were in order. What I found was a good cost-effective upgrade using OEM (original equipment manufacturer) replacement parts from a late model Jeep Grand Cherokee. The tie rod system on the ZJ is much stronger than the XJ and is a direct swap. This way is cheaper than the aftermarket replacements (although they are very nice as well), and helps keep a ceiling on the overall cost of the project. I used MOOG replacement parts from a local shop in Vancouver (RH long tie rod part #ds1312, LH short side part #es3096l, and the adjusting sleve part # es2079s). Easy install and is working well! More to come…